Stu Ungar
The primary basis for why Mr. Ungar changed from gin rummy to poker was that Stu was a little too skilled at it. So skilled was he, that no player could equal him. Even the so-called professionals who were meant to be the greatest at gin rummy were decimated when they faced Stu Ungar. One such gin rummy player was Harry Stein, called, "Yonkie". Harry suffered such a belittling blow at the hands of Stu Ungar that he apparently stopped competing in it as a pro and never resurfaced at a gin tournament.
Certainly, with a reputation like that it wasn’t too long before everyone became afraid of playing against mr. ungar. He could find no matches and in his desperation he began doing something no one had performed prior. Stu provided starting handicaps to likely opposing players with the wish that they may compete with him if they believed they had an edge. He deliberately began from a negative arrangement and one story has it that stu even played with a constant bad egg. Amid the contest, he received advice that the bad egg was at it once more but mr. ungar stated that he was aware of the cheating and he would still actually win, which he did, of course.
The same problem followed Stu Ungar to Las Vegas. He won so often that the poker rooms began requesting that he not to wager on their rooms anymore. The reason for it was that other poker room visitors would not be seated at the table if Stu was seated.
Stu Ungar is recalled more for his accomplishments in holdem poker but he always maintained that he was far more skilled at gin rummy.
He defeated Doyle Brunson in the World Series of Poker in 1980 to become the youngest world camp. Due to his looks that made him seem far younger than he was, he got the nickname, "The Kid".
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